Obradovich: A cold shoulder for King

Apr. 29, 2013

Rep. Steve King was still saying last week that he was undecided about whether to run for the U.S. Senate. It seems Gov. Terry Branstad has wearied of waiting.

“That’s the last thing we need is another congressman in the United States Senate,” the governor said Monday morning at his weekly news conference.

Branstad was referring to Rep. Bruce Braley, the only Democrat who has announced plans to run. But even after reporters asked the governor if he was ruling out King, Branstad repeated that Iowans don’t want another congressman in the Senate.

The Republican governor threw a bone to King, saying Congress wasn’t his only experience. “Remember, Steve King did serve at the state Senate level and was very effective,” Branstad said. He failed to add that he considered King an effective congressman.

King said Thursday on C-SPAN that he was very close to making a decision. His response on Monday to Branstad’s remarks, via a spokeswoman’s email: “There’s no way to respond to the inquiry while maintaining the necessary verbal discipline.”

Nice one, Congressman. I see what you did there.

So why no love from the governor? It’s possible Branstad has been told King won’t run and just can’t help commenting. Or maybe the governor is throwing his support behind some Iowa Republicans who have said the GOP needs a candidate with broader appeal to independent voters.

King managed to best the warm and fuzzy Christie Vilsack in the 4th District congressional race, but many in his party still think he will run into a brick wall in Democrat-leaning eastern Iowa. King himself has ventured that the race would be an uphill battle for any Republican in light of President Barack Obama’s victory in 2012.

There is a third possibility: that King plans to run, and that Branstad knows it and decided to kneecap him before he crosses the starting line. I doubt it, though. Branstad is too mindful of his own yet-to-be-announced political future to purposefully antagonize his party’s right wing.

It was clear, however, that Branstad has framed the Senate race in his mind. He even has a slogan: “An Iowa problem-solver against a congressman.”

It’s an attractive narrative for a race against Braley, who has already stepped out to a strong lead in fundraising. Of all the possible GOP contenders, King is the only one who couldn’t run simultaneously against Braley and the ridiculously unpopular Congress. Nationally, the Gallup approval rating for Congress was at 13 percent in March.

Branstad didn’t say whom he had in mind. Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, who would no doubt be Branstad’s favorite, has already said she will not run. Among the names still in the mix besides King are Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey, Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz and former U.S. Attorney Matt Whitaker. State Sen. Joni Ernst of Red Oak has indicated interest, and a few other names have popped up in the media and political blogs.

The governor made it clear he’s not reserving a spot for himself in the lineup, despite reports that national party officials were still courting him. “I’d love to run, but I just don’t want to serve,” he joked, indicating that he relishes a campaign but doesn’t want to be a senator.

King is scheduled to be in Iowa this week, with a public event planned Wednesday in Ames with Americans for Prosperity. Maybe he will finally announce his plans. If he’s lucky, he’ll get his message out before Branstad unveils his new Senate campaign jingle, “Anyone but Steve King.”